The present disclosure is related to patient support apparatuses, and in particular to patient support apparatuses including support surfaces subject to degradation during use. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to monitoring the use of support surfaces of patient support apparatuses and mitigating the use of a support surface that has degraded.
Support surfaces wear in response to patient loads being applied to the support surfaces over time. Use of support surfaces beyond their useful lives may degrade the support surfaces and reduce the effectiveness of the support provided by the support surfaces to patients supported thereby. Degradation of the support surfaces may increase the likelihood of skin breakdown and pressure ulcers caused by support surfaces that have reached the end of their useful life.
Support surfaces should be replaced once their useful lives have expired to minimize the likelihood of skin breakdown and pressure ulcers. By doing so, the substantial costs associated with treating skin breakdown and damage resulting from patient stays on support surfaces in service beyond their useful lives may be avoided.